When most of us attend a bonsai show, the first trees that catch our eyes are the big ones. Usually there is at least one collected Juniper and that not only catches our eye but smacks us between the eyes. These trees are truly spectacular and they scream for our attention. There are so many smaller trees in the show that they overwhelm us and they slowly dissolve into a sea of green blobs. We usually then spend some time chatting with our friends. Most shows have a few suiseki on display and they are usually used as sort of stony accent plants. Nice additions, but definitely subordinate to the trees. We quickly pass by the shohin trees on display and comment that they are nice. We leave the show feeling confident that we have seen all the show has to offer.
The beauty of either a shohin display or a suiseki is not revealed in a quick glance as we pass by but requires a bit of thoughtful contemplation. A combined shohin and suiseki show was held at the garden center at the end of June. The show was noteworthy because there were no big trees to distract our attention and not lots of green blobs to overwhelm us. Devoid of these distractions, attendees could focus on the quiet beauty of both the trees and the stones. The shohin trees rewarded our time spent studying them at the show. The little trees are difficult to grow because of wat
er management issues and are difficult to maintain as a properly proportioned tree so they can represent the pinnacle of bonsai art. The show featured a veritable plethora of superbly grown trees.
Those of you that attended the June meeting of EBBS were fortunate to hear an excellent presentation on the display of shohin trees by John Doig and with his talk in mind you could better appreciate the artistry of the many displays. The same EBBS presentation also featured a talk by Polly Gould on suiseki which gave us a better understanding of the art of suiseki so we could more fully grasp what the many stones had to offer. There were many examples of superb suiseki to be seen. Suiseki at their best can show all the beauty that nature can offer in exactly the same way that bonsai trees can. Seeing a large display of shohin and suiseki together made it easy to see that they say the same thing using a different language.
A wonderful aspect of the show was the large vender area where attendees could fully satisfy the lust for more trees and accessories that the show generated.
All the local bonsai shows are produced by a single club. The combined shohin and suiseki show was not the result of the efforts of a single club but rather was a cooperative venture by the members of several of the local clubs. By bringing together shohin and suiseki enthusiasts from the whole bay area the show was far more comprehensive than could ever be achieved by a single club. The cooperation shown was a new and most welcome addition to the local scene.
A combination featuring shohin and suiseki successfully showcased items in a bonsai show that are frequently not given the attention that they deserve. If you missed this show, you missed a major and much needed bonsai event. This show was the first time that the quiet ones were featured and we all hope that there will be more shows of this type in the years to come.